Ezria: New Beginnings
by Kkagomes
Summary: {Continuation of 4x24} Ezra is alive and is begging for forgiveness. Will Aria forgive him? After almost three years of lies? Will they ever get back on their feet again?
1. How Do We Begin?

Ezra's eyes slowly flutter open. he's surrounded by various beeping sounds and everything's extremely white. There's the smell of overused hand sanitizer that makes your eyes water with every breath you take. His weakened state made it almost impossible for him to turn his head toward Aria. She stared at him with a soft expression. Ezra's mouth turned up at the corners in an attempt to smile.

"Why are you here?" He managed the small phrase in a raspy voice.

"Why wouldn't I be? Ezra, I mean our whole relationship may have been a lie and you were a total jerk but after almost three years together I think I should try to care that you got shot in the stomach protecting me." Aria's eyes were glazed with tears. Ezra's hand reached for hers and she didn't pull away nor did she reach back.

"I don't care if I tell you a million times and you still don't believe me. Aria, I love you. I may have lied about a lot of things but I've never, ever lied about my feelings for you." Ezra's chest moved up and down violently as he tried to catch his breath.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that." Aria wrapped her arms around Ezra and sat on the edge of his bed. He slid his arm under her back and placed his hand on her waist.

"It's okay, I deserve it. I realize now how lucky I am to have you in my life." As if to say she understood Aria placed her lips on his forehead.

"We can talk about this later. How are you feeling? And don't say 'fine' because a bullet went through your stomach and you collapsed, so you are not fine." The corners of his mouth turned slightly upward again.

"Well, I'm just glad you're here. Plus, I could use like a whole truck full of food because this IV is doing nothing for me."

Aria laughed at his charisma, then her eyes filled with tears again. "What's wrong?"

"Ezra, you don't know what I saw. You almost died trying to save me after I told you to leave Rosewood forever and trashed your apartment. Do you even understand how much guilt I have right now?"

"Listen to me, you had nothing to do with this. I lied to you for four years. If you weren't going to punish me someone had to. So don't you dare feel an ounce of guilt, okay?" Aria's head bobbed up and down as Ezra wiped her tears. "Everything's okay, and if you still want this, we've gotten through harder things." Her head rested next to his on the pillow. His arm stayed wrapped around her as she quickly drifted off to sleep. Ezra softly kissed her forehead.

His mind reeled with the thoughts that haunted him as he fell weak in the knees earlier. When A was pulling the trigger he didn't care that he may die but could only think of the unresolved conflict between him and Aria. His love for her was as real as love got but she still hadn't been convinced. If he went down now he would never know if the girls were saved, he would never know if Aria would find out the truth. All he could think to do is have his final words be "I'm sorry" and he wasn't even sure if he managed that. After he fell everything was a blur except Aria's ear-numbing screams as the pain took over and slowly forced his eyes shut. Ezra had touched her face gently just to feel that soft, innocent complexion he had kissed so many times before. He could only think that would be the last time he would ever see his one true love again. Against all odds, there he lay with nothing but slight pain in his stomach. Ezra Fitz was alive. He was there for Aria when she thought he wouldn't be, but there they lay on that hospital bed. Having her next to him meant the world to Ezra because she was his world and always would be.


	2. A Hospital Bed

Spencer, Emily and Hanna slowly crept into the hospital room. When they saw Aria curled up next to Ezra with her arm around her as they slept, they all stopped and looked at each other with a sly grin. The girls knew that Aria loved Ezra and he loved her. They belonged together and were a mess without each other. Spencer didn't want to ruin the beautiful moment but wanted to tell Aria that they were going home after almost twenty four hours without sleep. She slightly shook her arm and Aria's eyes opened gracefully. "Hey." Aria let out a small laugh when she saw the girls trying to contain their huge smiles. "So, I'm assuming things worked out last night Mrs. Fitz?" Hanna whispered trying not to wake Ezra up. "Would you stop? We talked and we are going to try and work things out." Aria remained under Ezra's muscular arm as he peacefully slept on painkillers. "I'm still Ms. Montgomery." "Aria, don't even try playing hard to get. He risked his life for all of us, I think he deserves fair chance." Emily patted Aria's shoulder as all three of them left. After they were out the door, Aria played with Ezra's amazing rich chocolate colored hair that had just enough wave to it. She noticed every beautiful aspect of his whole body, from his flawless face to his cute pinkie toe. She realized how much she admired this man. He was her everything and she was his, but she hadn't treated him like it. Aria had ripped Ezra's heart out and shredded it to pieces when she told him to leave forever. Maybe this was a sign, a sign that she was wrong and she was given this amazing second chance that she could not mess up. Aria wrapped her arm around Ezra and then laid her head on his chest. After a while, Ezra's eyes gradually opened. Before he even said anything Aria kissed him. "Wow, I'd like to wake up to that more often." He smiled, showing his perfectly white teeth. "I love you." Aria held onto Ezra's whole body as tight as she could manage. "I love you too." Ezra turned his shoulders toward her with a concerned look painted on his face. "What's the matter?" "Nothing." She replied almost too quickly. "Tell me." Ezra held her close. "I kept having this same nightmare over, and over again last night. You were... You were..." She couldn't continue since her tears drowned the rest of her sentence. "It's ok, honey I'm here. I'm not going anywhere." His large hand wrapped around her shaking head. "I'm right here." 


	3. It Can Be Tough Getting Around

Ezra remained in the hospital for the rest of the week. Aria kept having breakdowns but was very perky and optimistic whenever they had visitors. Ezra's family didn't come but his mom called once and his brother called continuously. Knowing he had no family Aria's mom, Ella, decided to act as his mom. She came into the hospital multiple times to bring them food and Aria some clean clothes. Today was finally the day he was being released. Ezra was restricted to a wheelchair for a couple weeks but it was better than a hospital bed.

"Are you ready? My parents dropped off my car last night so I'll go pull it upfront and then come right back." Aria leaned over Ezra and pecked him on the forehead.

"Ok, love you."

"Love you, too." While Aria was gone the nurse brought in his new ride, a navy blue chair complete with giant bike wheels. _This should be fun._ He thought to himself. The nurse unplugged all of the wires attached to him and then helped him into the wheelchair.

"The car's out front. Let's go!" Aria was all smiles as she pushed her boyfriend out of the room.

"This chair is totally stylish, right?" Ezra joked. She just rolled her eyes as she guided him from the chair to the front seat of her car. They didn't say anything as Aria drove out of the parking lot. Ezra reached for her hand and she gratefully took it. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Everything, you stayed in a hospital for a week with me and your family has practically adopted me." Wincing in slight pain he leaned over and kissed Aria on the cheek. Their fingers stayed interlocked the whole way home.

"This is going to be a struggle every time we go anywhere isn't it?" Ezra said as he waited for Aria to get the wheelchair from the backseat.

"But it's worth it." They both understood the alternative and didn't want to even think about it.

"So can you tell me the truth about something important?" Ezra scooted into the chair and sat back.  
"Yeah, of course."

"Has A contacted you since that night?" Aria slowed her quick pace a bit and thought about the question.

"No, no they haven't. I hope they are humane enough to realize what they did to you was plenty of torture." They didn't exchange any more words for the remainder of the trip up to apartment 3B until they reached the front door, "Welcome home Mr. Fitz." Then she kissed him on the forehead and turned the knob.

The door opened slowly and Aria wheeled him in. "Surprise!" Ella, Mike, Hanna, Spencer, and Emily popped out from behind the couch.

"Oh wow!" A huge smile spread across his face when he saw the five of them standing there.

"Welcome home Ezra!" Ella leaned down and gave him a big hug as he reciprocated. Hanna put a 'Welcome Home' cake on the counter and then joined everyone else around the couch.

There was a long silence then Emily spoke up. "I just wanted to say thank you but I don't think I'll ever know how to express such gratitude." All of the girls looked at him as if to say the exact same thing. Aria placed her hand on his.

"I had no choice. I couldn't just leave you there. And I would do it again." Aria fell in love with him all over again. As he spoke she stared at his lips then kissed them... and didn't stop.

"Alright, that's all for today folks." Ella said as she separated the two. "So Ezra have you thought about how you are going to do things while you're recovering?"

"Well the nurse suggested having someone who lives with me be available 24/7 God forbid anything might happen. But since I don't have someone living with me Aria of course offered to be here whenever."

"I mean if it's ok with you, mom, do you think I could move in with Ezra until he can do things on his own again? I would just feel better physically seeing that he is ok." Ella pondered the pros and cons of the arrangement.

"Yeah, that's fine with me as long as you both promise not to do anything that you'll regret later." Ezra and Aria have never been more excited in their entire life, finally they could have some real alone time to talk things over.


	4. Count Your Lucky Stars

After everyone left the party Aria climbed onto Ezra's lap and leaned on his shoulder. "You know what I really wouldn't mind?"

"What?"

"If I could do this for the rest of my life." She stroked his face and he kissed her softly on the forehead.

"Yeah, I wouldn't mind it either." They just laid there for a while until Aria began to fight her eyelids from closing. "Let's go to bed." Aria wheeled Ezra to the bed, and started to help him get dressed.

"This is definitely something I could get used to doing." Ezra laughed and Aria smiled until she saw the scar. There it was, just a like a tattoo that couldn't be removed. The memory would be there forever. Everytime he took his shirt off it would staring back at her. That night would never go away because there it was, tattooed on his stomach. She took a deep breath and tried not to think about it, she didn't want to upset Ezra for the thousandth time this week. Her efforts were basically useless because he could read her like a book.

"I can do it. Go get yourself changed." Aria didn't refuse the kind offer. After a painful struggle Ezra managed to get his flannel pants on but knew he had to put a shirt on for Aria's sake. He accomplished a messy jump from the chair to bed and was waiting for her when she came back.

"I'm sorry." Aria climbed into bed with her sweatpants and tank top on. Ezra loved seeing her like this, with no make up and her hair thrown into a messy bun. That was the best part of their relationship, they didn't have to impress each other.

"For what? Don't apologize for how you feel. I didn't and look where we are now." Aria laid on the pillow and clasped his hand. Sometimes she didn't know what to say when he said things like that. Ezra quickly drifted off to sleep due to all of his pain medications but Aria stayed awake staring at him like she had previously done in the hospital, just thanking her lucky stars. She eventually drifted into another restless night sleep.

"Good morning baby." Ezra leaned toward Aria to allow their vibrant smiles to meet once more. "How did you sleep? Were you comfortable?" He was genuinely concerned about her comfort even though he had a bullet hole in his stomach, Aria had literally no idea how she got so lucky.

"I was fine and I always will be as long as you are next to me." She kissed his forehead then rolled out of bed. "I'll make breakfast this morning. Do you want to get out of bed?"

"Sure, just wheel me over to the table." Ezra groaned as he rolled over. "I feel like an eighty year old."

"You'll get over it." Aria whispered playfully in his ear. She helped him into the chair then rolled him to the kitchen while she cooked his favorite, bacon and eggs. Aria suddenly felt depressed. All of the life was drained from her and she just felt nothing. She tried to hold back the tears but knew it wasn't even worth it because of how well Ezra knew her. Aria didn't know why she fell into these lapses unannounced but it was the most awful feeling in the world. She knew she had everything she needed right in front of her but the past kept haunting her. She could feel the gloomy hand of the past tightly grip her happiness then rip it out, hard. Aria took a deep breath in through her nose then shakily out through her mouth.

Ezra wheeled himself over to the stove and shut off the burner. "But they're not done." She whispered. He grabbed her waist and let her curl up on his lap and just cry.

"You're ok, you're ok." Ezra felt helpless when Aria fell into these lapses. He just kept repeating the same thing over and over but he wasn't sure if that was even the truth. He didn't know if she was ok. She could be suffering from depression but he was scared to bring up a therapist because he always wanted to be the only one who helped her, and was always able to succeed.


	5. Side by Side No Matter What Literally

Aria stopped sobbing and got herself together. She wanted everything to go back to normal. She wanted to feel comfortable with herself again, she wanted to be able to make eggs and bacon for her boyfriend without crying and she wanted that menacing bullet wound to disappear for good.

"Aria, tell me what I need to do to help you." Ezra was scared. He didn't want anything to happen to her and knew he needed to do something.

"Help me?" She practically screamed. "Ezra, I am not the one who needs help around here! It's you, you are the one who got shot! I'm here to help you there is nothing wrong with me, I don't need help, you need help!" All of it was a lie, every last word, and they both knew it. Ezra was absolutely heartbroken to see her like this. She was so hurt. Aria figured if she acted like everything was ok, everything would be ok. But Ezra knew her so well that he could see the cracks in her mask.

She glared at him with disbelief. "Aria, I ask one thing of you, just hear me out. The only way that we can both be happy is if you tell me everything. I truly want you to forget about me physically needing help and get everything off of your chest right now. Tell me if you want me to just listen or try and help. It's really hard for me to watch you suffer and not be able to do anything."

"Well, ya that's how I felt. Seeing you just lying there on the ground. I had no cell phone and we were on a roof. There was nothing I could do except watch you. I really want to tell you everything that is making me this way, but the truth is, I don't know. I have absolutely no idea what's making me so upset. There's obviously you being shot but we've talked about that and I feel better about that, it's just this lingering sadness I can't get rid of." Aria stopped talking and looked at him with loving eyes. "Can I just hug you, please?" Ezra smiled and embraced her small body.

"Anytime you need a hug I'll be here." She smiled and he kissed her continuously then pulled away. "Can we resume this after breakfast? I'm starving." Aria laughed at his ability to make her cry with beautiful words but also to be able to ruin a great moment with his enormous appetite.

She sighed sarcastically. "I guess so." They sat across from each other eating. Ezra gradually let his lips slide into a goofy smile. "What?"

"You look beautiful right now and I feel like the luckiest guy in the world right now." She grabbed his hand across the table then leaned over and whispered.

"Shall we resume?"

"We shall." Ezra grabbed Aria's waist and lifted her as high as he could. Aria's laugh filled the empty space around the couple. This is what Ezra was looking for, the old Aria. The one who would light up the room with her happiness. This is what they both wanted so desperately.

"Stop it!" She yelled playfully as he dropped her on the couch and started tickling her.

"No way!" Aria rolled around laughing on the couch until Ezra stopped and Aria sat up to kiss his precious lips again. They stopped when Aria's phone rang.

"Hey, Em." Ezra grabbed her arm. "Um, hold on one minute." She took the phone away from her ear. "Will you be ok if I meet the girls at the Brew?"

"Yeah, of course go ahead."

"Sure, I'll meet you there in an hour." She hung up the phone and sat down on the couch. "Are you sure you'll be ok?"

"Aria, I'm sure. Go spend time with your friends, you deserve that and more." Aria took a deep breath in and out.

"Okay, thanks." He held her close and kissed her forehead. Aria got changed, kissed Ezra goodbye and walked out of the apartment for the first time in almost two weeks. She thought about Ezra as she walked down the hallway, then turned around and walked straight back to the apartment. "Why don't you come with me? I'll feel better."

"Aria, you need time with your friends. I don't want to be a party crasher."

"They won't care, you're coming with me. Let's go." Ezra was worried about her again. She literally couldn't be away from him for two seconds. As much as he loved being with her, they both needed time apart for a healthy relationship. They had both been cooped up in his apartment for two weeks and she physically couldn't separate from him for an hour.

"Listen Aria, I really think you and your friends need some time together."

"Ezra, I wouldn't be with them very long if something happened to you while I was gone." Aria dumped him into the passenger seat and even buckled him in like a mother to a five year old.

"Nothing is going to happen. You need to listen to me."

"No, I'm not going to listen to you talk irrationally. You are coming with me, not staying in the apartment alone." Aria continued to drive angrily. There was nothing wrong with her. She just wanted to be with her boyfriend to make sure he was safe. Is that too much to ask?


	6. Back to the Start

Aria wheeled Ezra into the Brew where they found Emily, Hanna and Spencer sitting in their usual corner booth. Their faces grew from excitement to confusion as they realized Ezra had tagged along. Spencer was the first to speak. "Oh hey."

"Hi!" Emily was a little more welcoming and added a hug.

Hanna sat silently with her legs crossed in the corner. Aria took everyone's coffee orders and then headed up to the counter. Ezra and the girls sat in an eerie silence as they waited for her to come back. He knew he had to break it.

"I'm really sorry I came. I know you must've just wanted some time with Aria."

"No, it's fine, really." Emily tried to help Ezra feel better.

"It's really not. I think Aria needs help." He paused at the harshness of his words. "That came out wrong. I have been trying to help her by telling her to go out with all of you but she constantly needs to be with me. I love being with her but after two weeks together in a little apartment she physically can't leave me. I just don't know what to do." Ezra sounded distressed and Hanna snapped out of her silence.

"She has seemed really distracted on the phone. All she wants to talk about is you or she starts crying. I agree with Ezra, she needs help."

"Can we not just slam her into the nut house on instinct? How about I try and talk her into dinner and shopping with us tonight. But to give her a hint I'll only make reservations for four." Spencer suggested.

"Thank you so much, that's perfect." Ezra was relieved that he wasn't the only one who thought Aria had some emotional issues. They ended the conversation when Aria came bouncing back with all of their coffees.

"Thanks." Emily said as she received her order.

"Hey Aria, I was wondering if you wanted to join us tonight for dinner and some shopping?" Aria shot Ezra a quick glance then looked apologetically at Spencer.

"Sorry, I have to help Ezra around. Maybe another time." She took her first sip and reached for Ezra's hand.

"No, I think you should go. Really, I'll be fine go with them." He coaxed.

"Ezra, what did we just talk about this morning? You aren't staying alone."

He began to get frustrated and pulled his hand away, "Aria, you are going out tonight. I'm not five years old anymore. I can stay home alone for a few hours."

She looked hurt that he would even think of saying that to her. Hanna chimed in trying to help Ezra's case, "He needs to practice being alone in case there's ever a time that you can't be there. Aria, come with us tonight please."

"There's never going to be a time like that Hanna. I'm not going tonight unless Ezra wants to come shopping." She looked at him. Ezra became very aggravated.

"Aria, I'm trying to help you so you don't become secluded from the social world. Go out with your friends tonight." His fists were clenched. Aria's eyes filled with tears and she stormed out. Ezra looked helplessly at the girls.

"I'll go get her." Spencer left the rest of the group to try and find Aria. She walked out into the parking lot where she found Aria disoriented in a mess of tears. "Aria, come on let's get in my car."

"Don't even Spencer! I'm not crazy, he just wants to get rid of me! But I love him and I'm never leaving him ever!" Aria lashed out at Spencer. When she tried detaining her Aria swung at her jaw, making Spencer's lip bleed.

"Oh my god Aria!" She ran away from the scene and hopped into Ezra's car. She sped out of the parking lot not even bothering to stop or slow down before making a sharp right. Spencer ran back into the Brew with her lip dripping blood.

"Did she do that to you?" Ezra's eyes grew wide.

"Yeah and then sped away in your car." Spencer wiped the blood from her chin as he tried to wheel out of the Brew quickly. "Um, Ezra. I can drive you."

"Oh yeah, that's probably a better idea." He slid into the passenger seat and Spencer drove in the direction she saw Aria drive away. "Why is she doing this? Why is she like this? All I want to do is help."

"I know but once we find her we'll figure it all out." She looked at Ezra who was a complete wreck by now. They drove in silence for a while until they passed the bar where Aria and Ezra first met. There she was, sitting in the exact same spot she was when he first fell in love.


	7. Happy

Ezra tried just hopping out of the car and running toward her but ended up doubled over in pain. "Hold your horses there troubadour." Spencer laughed at the hopeless romantic as he wheeled himself into the bar.

"Aria?" She turned to him with streams of tears marking her pink cheeks. She stared at him with a melancholy gaze. "Come on, let's go home."

"Home? Really? I probably knocked one of Spencer's teeth out and emotionally scarred everyone at the Brew. I don't want to hurt you." Ezra uncomfortably sat in one of the bar stools and held her hands.

"I can take a couple punches from you, but I can't handle you walking away from this. The only way that you will hurt me is if you walk away from us. So, if you truly don't want to hurt me then come home." Spencer was still spectating a couple chairs down and what Ezra just said even made her tear up.

"If you don't go home with him I might Aria." They all laughed at the unexpected comment from the Peanut Gallery.

Aria looked deep into his eyes, the way she used to, "Ok, let's go." Spencer clapped teasingly.

"I have to do something first." Aria scrunched her face in confusion. He got back into the wheelchair and rolled away.

"He is definitely a keeper." Aria rolled her eyes then moved down closer to Spencer.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Taking him here. I literally punched you in the lip, hard enough to make you bleed, but you still brought him to me." Spencer's lip was still puffy and a little bloody. "And tell Toby I'm sorry about messing with the lips." They both giggled until Aria heard a familiar sound and saw Ezra coming back to them, "God, I love this song."

"B26?" Aria smiled genuinely for the first time in a few days. Ezra wrapped his arms around her and she leaned down to kiss him.

"Get a room!" Spencer jokingly remarked. "Alright, well I think it's safe for me to go." Aria and Ezra continued kissing as she quietly exited.

When the song was over Aria playfully ran while pushing Ezra out of the bar. They enthusiastically got into the car and drove away. "I'm sorry." Aria squeezed his hand.

"It's okay. Can we just move on? Just tell me when you want to talk and I'm here for you." He kissed her cheek.

"I'm ready to talk but I'm also starving so can we do this over dinner?"

"I was hoping you would suggest that." They pulled into the parking lot and silently went up to the apartment. Aria made fajitas on the stove and the silence was becoming awkward.

"I just want to apologize for everything that I've put you through these past couple weeks. It's been so hard to see you like this. When I saw you literally fighting for me, I was so grateful that you had come. Who knows what would've happened if you didn't. Ezra when I saw you up there I was so confused. I didn't know what to do." He took her hand and led her to the couch and let her whole body fall into his. "You lied to me for almost four years, but there you were, literally taking a bullet for me. I knew I owed you something but when you woke up I felt like I couldn't leave your side. You almost died because of me." He rubbed her arm and kissed her forehead. "I just realized I've been telling you the same thing that I already told you before, haven't I?"

"Yeah, but I'm just here to listen to whatever you need to tell me."

"My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations." They both laughed at the sudden book reference.

"Ah, yes John Green couldn't have put it any better." She tilted her head up toward him and he stopped her with his lips. Aria held the sides of his face, wrapping one hand around his neck. Ezra held her waist then made his way up her back. They stayed like that for a while, just happy to be in each other's arms again.


	8. What's Mine Is Yours

"I love you." Ezra broke the beautiful silence. Aria laid her head on his shoulder and he kissed her gently.

"I love you too." She looked up at him with her large brown eyes that held great respect and appreciation for the man whose reflection was present in them. "Want to watch 'Night Must Fall' for old times sake?"

"Literally old times." Aria just rolled her eyes at his cheesy joke. She put the movie on the screen and they laid there snuggled up against each other, Ezra's arm around Aria and Aria's head on his shoulder. It almost seemed like things were normal again, but as always they were not. Aria thought back to the time she attempted to watch this movie with her ex Jake. He ended up falling asleep but pretending he was awake the whole time, such a fake. Aria felt that fate was on her side right now and she embraced it because it was usually the opposite.

Ezra was obviously happy to be alive for this moment. He held her close and just enjoyed the black and white figures move across the screen. Aria's eyes began to close since she hadn't had a full night sleep in two weeks. Ezra tucked her head under his arm and wrapped her with a blanket while she slept soundly. He watched her gentle breaths escape her lips slowly. She looked so beautiful laying there against him. He loved her so much and never wanted to leave this moment and hopefully could always come back to it.

After the movie was over he shut off the television and just let Aria sleep while he put his feet up and fell asleep himself.

The morning light snuck in through the shades. Ezra awoke to the light in his eyes and Aria still snuggled under his arm. She was still sound asleep, still breathing gently. He decided against waking her up but wanted to surprise her with breakfast. His whole stomach was still in pain but he would manage. Ezra stood up, or failed at an attempt to and ended up on the floor in blinding pain. The moderate pain he woke up with in his stomach spread all over his body the second he hit the floor. Even in this state he did not make any noise for Aria's sake. Ezra army crawled across the floor which only added to his pain but he was halfway there. He threw his arm up onto the counter blindly hoping to find his phone. The pain made him contract into fetal position but he got his phone. Ezra winced at even the slightest movement of his thumbs dialing the numbers.

"Hello?" The familiar voice made Ezra overjoyed.

"Ella, can you please come over right now. I fell down and Aria's still sleeping, please." He whispered as best he could with his teeth clenched.

"Oh my god Ezra. I'll be there in two minutes." The phone clicked off and Ezra laid on the floor in a heap of pain. He just wanted things to go back to normal and definitely didn't need Aria to know his wound was causing pain again. After what seemed like forever to him, Ella opened the door quietly. "Ezra!" She practically screamed.

"Shh, I'm fine just help me into the wheelchair." Ella grabbed the wheelchair from the couch and practically carried the grown man into the chair. "Thank you. I'm sorry you had to come out here." He looked at the ground almost ashamed.

"Don't worry about it, you've even said it yourself, I'm practically your mom." Ella hugged him tight. "What were you doing anyway?" Ezra glanced over at his sleeping girlfriend.

"I wanted to surprise Aria and make her breakfast but it obviously didn't work out. She cannot know that I called you. Please Ella, she's been an emotional wreck for understandable reason and I can't stand to see her so broken anymore." Ella looked at her daughter.

"Ok, whatever you need." She walked over to the stove and turned on the burner.

"What are you doing?" Ezra wheeled over as close as he could.

"You're making breakfast." She cracked an egg against the side of the pan and it began to sizzle softly. She grabbed a spatula and began to scramble them.

"I don't know how to thank you Ella." Ezra looked at her in disbelief.

"Take care of yourself and Aria." Ella continued to stir the eggs and Ezra sat there mesmerized.

"I can do that."


	9. Eggs and Bacon

Ella left the apartment with eggs and bacon on the table. Aria woke up twenty minutes later. "Good morning, baby."

"What's that smell?" Aria stretched her arms above her head and yawned. She walked over to Ezra and kissed his head.

"Your favorite, eggs and bacon." Her face melted into pure astonishment, the face of innocence he first fell in love with.

"Oh my god Ezra. You did this?" He didn't say yes or no because he honestly felt guilty for taking all of the credit. Aria sat down at the wooden table for two with a giddy expression on her face. That's the face that he needed to see. Ezra wheeled himself over to the table across from Aria and reached for her hand. "Thank you."

He just smiled and then dug into his breakfast. Aria didn't wipe the smile off of her face the whole time. "I think we should have my mom over this week, since we haven't seen her in a while." Ezra sipped his coffee and met her gaze.

"Sure, sounds great. Whenever you want just let me know." Aria put down her fork and brought their plates to the sink.

"Alright, I'll call her later. Did you call the physical therapist yet?" Ezra groaned like a five year old. "Seriously? Come on Ezra."

"Fine, I'll call later." She kissed his soft lips. "Do you want to go out later?"

"Where?" Aria sat back down in her chair.

"I don't know just out." He shrugged his shoulders.

"Ok, why don't we kill two birds with one stone and go out to my mom's house for dinner tonight."

"Sure." Ezra rolled over to her side of the table. "Can we do this forever?" He put her on his lap and wheeled them over to the couch.

"As long as you are walking and I have a ring on my finger." She said half jokingly.

"I can promise you both and more. You're the one Aria and you always will be so don't worry, we'll get there." He leaned in for a kiss then sharply pulled back holding his stomach.

"Ezra! What's wrong?" She held his shoulders tight so he wouldn't fall over. Fear took over the loving glare she had in her eyes before.

"Nothing, I'm fine." Ezra spoke intensely through his teeth, trying to sound convincing. The pain subsided a bit and he released his tight grip but Aria kept her hands on his shoulders. Ezra didn't want to hear the next words that were on the tip of her tongue so he leaned in for another kiss. Aria put her hand around his back. She really didn't want to say anything to ruin the moment but Ezra's health may be in jeopardy.

"Wait," Ezra stayed close and kept their foreheads touching. "Are you okay? For real, has this been happening a lot?"

"Aria, I promise I will let you know if I'm in serious trouble." She looked directly into his eyes as if to need reassurance. "And I'm not, so can we continue?"

"I just want you to be safe." Aria whispered into his ear and he pulled her close. At least an hour passed before Aria's phone rang on the kitchen table. "I'll be right back."

"Hello?... Yeah sure... See you then, love you."

"Who was that?"

"My other boyfriend." She said sarcastically. Ezra laughed and Aria cuddled up next to him back on the couch. "We are going over my mom's house tonight." Ezra looked at the clock in the kitchen.

"Well we still have time, don't we?" He grabbed her waist and they touched foreheads again. Both had smiles stretched from ear to ear.


	10. Mom Knows Best

"We have to get ready." Aria vaguely glanced at the clock then directly back at Ezra. He kept kissing her playfully. "Come on Ezra! Stop it!" She giggled.

"Just five more minutes?" Aria freed herself from his grip and ran into their room. After she disappeared he attempted to chase after her but fell on the floor in agony. He tried to blink away the small tears that were forming in his eyes and get back on the couch. Ezra tried everything but the pain was too overbearing. The last thing he wanted to do was call for Aria so he decided to basically flop into the wheelchair. He probably shaved an inch of tooth off from biting down so hard in pain. Ezra still felt the sharp, almost blinding pain even after he got into the chair so he just sat there, hoping it would subside.

"Ezra? Are you ready?" He could hear her footsteps coming down the hall and tried to forget about the pain, which was much, much harder than it sounds.

A small, "Yeah." was all he could muster.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah." He said again, even smaller. Aria decided to believe him for once and locked the door behind them as she wheeled him out. Ezra kept his jaw tight and squeezed his eyes shut every once in a while. Aria dumped him in the front seat and he groaned almost inaudibly. The pain was just sitting there but he tried to forget about it again.

"When did you make the physical therapy appointment for?" Aria kind of almost knew that he didn't make it yet.

"I haven't made it yet." His voice was gruff and forced.

"What's wrong?" Ezra almost ripped a hole through the seat as he dug his nails into the side of it.

"Nothing." Aria held his hand tight.

"Ezra, I know better than anyone what it's like to be drowning your own thoughts so just tell me. I'm here for you." He stared out the window. There were two options, tell Aria and have her potentially break down again or not tell her and have her feel like he's shutting her out. He didn't like either option.

"Honey, I'm fine." He made that sound semi- normal. Ezra looked at her soft complexion with his rich brown eyes and squeezed her hand. They pulled into Ella's driveway and she came outside.

"Hey mom!" Aria wrapped her arms around her mom's neck. Ezra sat patiently in the passenger seat trying to focus on anything but the pain that still lingered.

"Go get Ezra." Ella noticed him sitting in the car alone. Aria pranced over to the car to get the wheelchair and transfer Ezra into it. "Hey!" Ella bent down and hugged him as usual. She wheeled him into the living room.

"Hi." He knew he sounded so stupid but it was all he could get out. Ella looked at him suspiciously.

"Aria, can you go grab Mike from lacrosse and bring him to Dad's house? They're going to a Philly's game tonight and I have to finish dinner."

"Sure." Aria walked out of the house and the door closed behind her. Ella watched her pull out of the driveway and down the street.

"Come on Ezra, we are going to the hospital." Ezra's eyes bulged practically out of his head.

"What? Why?" He totally forgot about the pain for about five seconds and had to clench his teeth again.

"Ezra I've known you long enough to know that the pain from this morning is still there. It could be something serious or something minor but we don't know. Remember what you promised me?" Ella knew exactly how to say things so you were physically unable to say no to her. She had already grabbed her keys and shut off all the lights. The pain was slowly getting worse so he just nodded.


	11. Fast and Furious

Ella pushed him out of the house and into her silver Honda Pilot. The car had this faint scent of sweat, from Mike's sports equipment, mixed with perfume, the kind Aria has used since she was fifteen.

"You know I'm doing this for your own good right?" Ezra nodded then gripped his side again as the pain came back. "Oh, honey!" She kept her eyes on the road but placed her hand on his shoulder. That time he stayed in agony and it wouldn't subside. Ella pressed her foot on the gas and squeezed Ezra's shoulder tight. "It's okay, we are almost there." She had a knack for sounding calm in the most extreme situations.

"I'm ok Ella." He said in a breathy voice, but Ella's motherly instincts had kicked in way before they left the house and she just ignored his polite opinion. They screeched into the hospital parking lot like a scene out of a Fast and Furious movie. Ella didn't say a word and wheeled Ezra into the emergency room, getting someone to 'come immediately' after they ignored her request. She filled out paperwork and held his hand whenever the pain got worse. She was like a mother to him and he was so grateful to have her in his life right now.

"Ezra Fitzgerald?" A middle aged balding man stepped out into the waiting room wearing wrinkled blue scrubs and bloodshot eyes.

"Right here!" Ella rushed to her feet and helped Ezra get out of his chair. The nurse rolled a wheelchair over to him. Ella stayed by his side as they went through the double swinging doors and he was placed on yet another hospital bed. He was placed on a bed in between two hospital curtains.

"What's bothering you today Ezra?" The nurse held out his clipboard and whipped a pen out of his chest pocket. Ella looked him in the eye knowing that he wouldn't be able to do any talking.

"Ezra has recently been here with a," She paused and took a breath as if it hurt her too, "Bullet wound. He's been in a lot of pain that keeps going on and off all day and it keeps getting worse." Ezra sighed and took a deep breath in.

"Actually, it's been the past couple days." He said under his breath but loud enough for Ella and the nurse to hear. She looked at him in disbelief.

"Well, before you go any further, I'm guessing that there is some sort of infection. Can I just take a look at the area?" Ezra lifted his shirt to expose the area where the stitches were. The area was red and a little puffy. "This actually looks better than what it could be. If there wasn't any inflammation than it could have been an internal infection. That would require more surgery but this is an easy fix." He wrote down some medical things on the clipboard then handed Ella a prescription slip. "Take these with breakfast, lunch and dinner and come back if the pain continues. For immediate results just put a heating pad on it and you should be fine!"

"Thank you so much." Ella folded the slip and tucked it into her pocket book. She pulled the wheel chair over to his bedside and let him slide in.


	12. When You Love Someone

"See, it wasn't that bad." Ella tapped him on the shoulder. The pain was still there but Ezra placed the temporary heating pad the nurse had given him on his stomach. There was slight relief so he was able to become a little more comfortable, at least enough to talk.

"Thank you, Ella." She kissed his forehead before helping him into the front seat. "Is Aria still out?"

"Byron probably held her up, don't worry sweetie." Ella rubbed his arm in that supporting mom way. They pulled into the pharmacy that was five seconds down the road and picked up Ezra's prescription. "I'll be right back." He sat in the car absentmindedly vigorously moving his leg and shaking the hand that was holding the heating pad up to his lower stomach. Ezra stayed like that until Ella was walking back to the car and he unlocked the door for her.

"How much was it?" He started to grab his wallet out of his back pocket.

"Yeah, ok like I'm going to let you pay. Ezra you're practically my son, I can pay for a prescription." Ella began to drive off.

Ezra took a deep breath and decided to get something off of his chest. "Do you think we can make it?"  
"You and Aria?" She continued driving down the main street lined with small businesses.

"Yeah, I mean after all I've done. I feel like we are ok right now because she feels bad for me. Once I'm out of the wheelchair and fully recovered, I don't know what to expect. What I did was more than unacceptable and I realize that now, but I don't want to work so hard at something that she doesn't want." Tears began to pool in his rich brown eyes. "I don't want to lose her." His voice cracked, he sniffed a little bit and covered his eyes to shadow the inevitable tears.

She held his hand and pulled into the Cheesecake Factory parking lot. She took out her phone and dialed a number, "Hey Byron, is Aria there?" Ella pulled into a parking spot and shut the car off. "Can you do me a huge favor and keep her at your house for dinner? She's going to say no, but just call me and ask if it's ok. Don't tell her I called." Ezra stared at her with disbelief. "Great thanks, bye."

"What was that?" His eyes were wide with innocence.

"We are going home to talk. You need some time away from each other anyway." Ella smiled and started the car. They stayed mostly quiet the rest of the ride home.

"Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean what if she finds out?" She laughed at his genuine concern.

"Ezra, calm down okay? You need to get this stuff off your chest or else you are going to just explode in front of Aria. And I know you don't want to do that." They pulled into the driveway and Ella wheeled him into her quaint house. She finished heating up the pasta and they sat on the couch to eat it. "So, what were you saying before about you and Aria?"

He twirled his pasta around the silver fork. "I don't know what to say. I mean we are totally fine now but I don't know if it's just an illusion. When I'm back to normal, will she still be like this or will the reality of what I did hit her hard? What I did was awful and I will regret it for the rest of my life whether we are together or not." Ezra pressed his lips together and swallowed hard, his eyes began to fill up again. "I want to be with her for the rest of my life... I love her."

"I know that I'm not the key person to be giving relationship advice right now, but I'm going to try anyway." She took a deep breath in. "Ezra, you love her so much and I have never doubted your love or questioned her safety when she was with you. I've known Aria her whole life and Byron and myself have raised her to have an independent mind, as you have seen. From my experience with love, it also has an independent mind. Sometimes things will go how you expect them to go but other times it won't work like that. Sometimes you will be thrown a curveball but as long as you keep working at it together and you show her how much she means to you then you will be fine." She hugged him tight. "And as Aria's mom, I am beyond happy that she is with you because you will fight for her like this."

"When you love someone, it's worth fighting for no matter what the odds." Ezra smiled his crooked boyish smile and the light came back to his eyes for the first time since he came home.


	13. Pudding

"Mom? Ezra?" The familiar voice floated through the house. Ella smiled at Ezra, seeing his new found confidence.

"We're in here baby." He smiled and held his arms out when she walked in the room. "How was your dad's?"

She sat next to him and he wrapped his arm around her. "It was great, I'm so sorry I couldn't eat with you guys. He really wanted me to stay."

"That's ok, you haven't seen your dad in a while." Ella piped up before Ezra said anything. Aria leaned her head against Ezra's shoulder. "Anyone want dessert?"

"Sure." Aria replied as Ella left to get up. She turned her head up to kiss Ezra once her mom was out of the room. They kept kissing and didn't realize when Ella walked in the room.

"Um, hello?" She walked in the room with three plates and a bowl of chocolate pudding. Ezra blushed slightly and Aria backed away from him, then sat back right next to him.

"Thanks mom." She grabbed a plate and scooped out some pudding from the bowl for Ezra and herself. The conversation was vacant and the sound of spoons tapping on plates blanketed the room for a bit. When they finished one by one they placed their plates on the mahogany table in front of them. "I think we are going to go back hom- to Ezra's." She caught herself calling Ezra's place home, she didn't want to put any pressure on him but he was laughing to himself.

"Yeah, we better back home I have to finish a paper anyway." Ezra winked playfully in Aria's direction. Ella snickered at their bantering. She got up from her seat to help Ezra into his wheelchair while Aria cleared the table.

"Ella, thank you so much for everything today." He smiled weakly.

"You don't have to thank me everytime sweetie, I think we know where this is going. I'm practically your mother in law." He laughed at the way she snuck it in the conversation.

"I'm working on it." Leaving Ella with a surprised gasp and a reeling mind he wheeled himself out of the room.

"Ready to go babe?" Aria grabbed the handles of her boyfriend's wheelchair and kissed her mom goodbye.

Ella bent down to kiss and hug him whispering ever so softly, "_Take good care of her._" then released her grip with a smile. "Bye guys! Love you!"

Aria dumped Ezra in the front seat then walked over to the driver's seat. "Oh my god." She gasped as she read the screen of her phone.

"What's wrong honey?" He touched her arm in a small effort to comfort her.

"Hanna and Spencer called me twenty times and I have a bunch of texts." She slowly drowned herself out and then placed the phone on her ear.

"Hanna? Is everything ok?" Aria looked at Ezra with concern. "Ok, Han calm down what?" Her eyes got wide and she squeezed Ezra's arm. "How? What happened?" Aria held his arm tighter and tighter. "Oh my god, we'll be right there." She put the phone down and looked into Ezra's eyes. "Paige is dead."


	14. Last Words?

Ezra tried to process the information. He didn't know Paige very well, he had her in class for a semester but she kept quiet. He had heard that she was causing trouble around school and remembered Aria telling him about her but that was it. Ezra saw the pain in Aria's eyes and held her tight. "Is A back?" He asked quietly.

"They didn't say it but I'm pretty sure it was understood." She put the keys in the ignition and the car started with a roar. "I was never friends with Paige but she meant so much to Emily. I don't know how Emily is so strong. She's lost two girlfriends in the past three years."

"I want to give my condolences to Emily but if it's just your friends, I don't want to intrude." The couple began to back out of the driveway and Ezra placed his hand on Aria's.

"No, do not do this Ezra. I need you." He knew it was the most inappropriate time to smile so he tried to hide it but that's what he needed to hear, he needed to hear her say that he was needed. The rest of the ride was quiet but their fingers stayed intertwined. They pulled into the hospital, it was like deja vu for Ezra.

"Are you sure you are ok to do this?" She looked at him with fear burning behind an icy front she always put up when she was afraid, but he had the ability to see right through it.

Aria took a deep breath in and forcefully let it out, "I have to do this for Emily." Before Ezra could say anymore she got of the car and grabbed his wheelchair out of the trunk. Aria stared at the haunting chair in front her then wheeled it to the passenger seat.

The walk to the door was silent and Ezra wanted to hold her so badly. There was a small crowd of people in the lobby but Emily, Spencer and Hanna were waiting in the corner comforting a visibly broken Emily. Aria walked stiffly over to the girls, holding her front and not letting the painful memories of the room take over. "You'll do fine just stay strong, I'm right here." Ezra whispered on the walk over to the girls. She just nodded.

"Hey Em." Her voice was soft and low. Emily had sat down with her head buried in her hands. Spencer and Hanna's eyes were still red and puffy.

When Emily didn't reply Spencer looked up with a solemn expression, "Come over here." Hanna sat down next to the shattered soul and put a hand on her back. "Emily found Paige's body."

"Oh my god." Aria reached for Ezra's hand, thinking back to a couple weeks ago when this could've been her being nothing but a hollow shell in the corner of the hospital.

"She was barely breathing when Emily found her. Em called 911 while doing CPR but it was too late, Paige died in her arms. She hasn't said a word since, she hasn't even been able to cry." The group looked over to Emily still with her head in her hands and her hair draped down like curtains shutting out the world.

Aria just squeezed Ezra's hand tighter and tighter as her front began to crumble. The burning fear started to melt the icy fortress and her eyes filled with tears. She tried to block out the rest of the room, the haunting sounds of monitors, and the all too familiar smell of hand sanitizer. Aria turned pale white as the room began to spin. Spencer helped her sit down on the bench next to her. Ezra held her hand and Spencer grabbed a bottle of water out of her oversized pocketbook. She forced the water down Aria's throat. "I'm fine, I'm fine." Aria grabbed the water from Spencer.

"I think we should go honey, Emily will understand." Knowing Aria would resist, Spencer backed Ezra up.

"My car's right outside, I can drive you home. I need a break anyway. Let me just tell Hanna."

"Ezra, I'm fine. I have to be here for Emily." When Aria went to stand up she practically fell flat on her face from dizziness. Spencer ran over to help her up and guide her to the car while Ezra wheeled himself. "This is terrible, I cannot believe we left her there."

"She'll understand Aria. You need to look out for yourself here too." Ezra stated strongly.

Spencer decided to back him up again, "Emily hasn't done anything for the past two hours. We know you're going to be there for her when she's talking again, that's when she'll need you most." Rage filled Aria's once icy eyes.

"I don't care if she's not talking. She needs me right now and I can't be selfish!" They were almost to the car but Ezra grabbed her forearm and Aria pulled forcefully away. "That could've been me two weeks ago almost to the day! I could be the one broken to pieces because the last words that the love of my life would've heard me say was that I never wanted to see him again." When the realization set in, Spencer and Ezra stayed quiet and stared at each other at a loss for words. Aria some how mustered up the strength and practically ran to her car on the other side of the lot.


End file.
